The Lost Weekend premiered in Los Angeles, CA on 29 November 1945.
Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder adapted Charles R. Jackson's 1944 novel for the screen (Wilder says he was attracted to the story of an alcoholic writer while working with Raymond Chandler on Double Indemnity).
After a poor test screening where the audience laughed at Ray Milland's performance (a temporary music track was used for the screening, which was an inappropriate upbeat jazz score), the studio considered not releasing the film (a subsequent screening, with MiklĆ³s RĆ³zsa's score was received more favorably).
The liquor industry tried to persuade moviegoers to not support the film, arguing that it was propaganda designed to reinstate Prohibition.
The Lost Weekend was a commercial and critical success and would go on to receive 7 Academy Award nominations, including Best Cinematography (John Seitz), Best Editing (Doane Harrison), and Best Original Score. It received Oscars for Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
